To receive apologies for absence (if any).

Received from Councillors John Mylod and Viddy Persaud. Also received for part of the meeting from Councillors Jody Ganly and Damian White.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors John Mylod and Viddy Persaud. Apologies were also received for part of the meeting from Councillors Jody Ganly and Damian White.

To sign as a true record the minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on 23 November 2016 (attached).

Minutes AGREED as a correct record.

The minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 23 November 2016 were before the Council for approval.

It was AGREED that the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 23 November 2016 be signed as a correct record.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the Council meeting held on 23 November 2016 be signed as a correct record.

Members are invited to disclose any interest in any of the items on the agenda at this point of the meeting. 

Members may still disclose any interest in an item at any time prior to the consideration of the matter.

None.

There were no disclosures of pecuniary or personal interests.

To receive announcements (if any).

A minute’s silence was held in memory of Alderman and former Leader of the Council Mr Arthur Latham who had sadly died recently. Tributes to Mr Latham were paid by all sides.

Council also noted with sadness the recent death of Mr John Symons clerk of the London Borough of Havering from its inauguration in 1964 until 1973.  

The Mayor thanked all organisations involved with the Havering float which had come seventh at the recent London New Year’s Parade. The Mayor also acknowledged a work of art commemorating the victims of the Holocaust that was on display in the Town Hall and had been created by Hannah Turnbull – winner of the Havering Young Artist 2016 competition.  

The text of the announcements made by the Leader of the Council is attached as appendix 1 to these minutes.

To receive any petition presented pursuant to Council Procedure Rule 23.

No Members have given notice of intention to present a petition.

No petitions were presented.

No petitions were presented.

Note: The deadline for receipt of amendments to all reports included with the final Council agenda is midnight, Monday 23 January 2017.

To consider a report of Cabinet on the Council Tax Support Scheme 2017 (attached).

Report AGREED by 43 votes to 5.

It was noted that the report on the Council’s Financial Strategy, which included the Council Tax Support Scheme 2017 had been approved by Cabinet at its meeting on 18 January 2017.

The report of Cabinet asked Council to approve the Council Tax Support Scheme for 21017 and included, for noting, the Equalities Impact Assessments in respect of the Council Tax Support Scheme.

The report was AGREED by 43 voted to 5 and it was RESOLVED:

That the Equalities ImpactAassessments in respect of the Council Tax Support Scheme be noted and the Council Tax Support Scheme 2017 be approved.

To consider a report of the Audit Committee on the National Scheme for Auditor Appointments (attached).

Report AGREED without division.

A report of the Audit Committee recommended that the Council join a national scheme – Public Sector Audit Appointments which would enable a sector led arrangement for the appointment of a suitable company to be the Council’s auditor. This would allow compliance with contractual and independence requirements and lower overall procurement costs.

The report was AGREED without division and it was RESOLVED:

1.    That the  Public Sector Audit Appointments (PSAA) invitation be accepted to ‘opt in’ to the sector led option for the appointment of external auditors commencing 1 April 2018, for the financial years of the contracts let in accordance with the PSAA procurement strategy; (5 years as currently proposed);

2.    That authority be delegated to the Section 151 Officer to give notice to the PSSA that the invitation is accepted.

To consider a report of the Governance Committee on Amendments to the Constitution – Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules (attached).

Report AGREED without division.

A report of the Governance Committee recommended that Council approve some changes to the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules to allow recommendations on proposals for development to be submitted directly to Cabinet or Council for consideration, without prior consideration by the Overview and Scrutiny Board.

This would ensure that Overview and Scrutiny recommendations were brought to the attention of Cabinet or Council in a timely manner.

The report was AGREED without division and it was RESOLVED:

That the revisions to the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules as shown in appendix 2 to these minutes be approved.

Attached.

15 questions replied to.

Fifteen questions were asked and replies given. The text of the questions, together with their answers, is shown as appendix 3 to these minutes. .

Motions paper attached.

A procedural motion that motion 11A be dealt with on a vote only basis, that all other motions be dealt with under the intermediate debate procedure and that motions be heard in the order 11A, 11B, 11D and 11C was AGREED by 47 votes to 5.

A.   MAYOR OF LONDON

Motion by Independent Residents’ Group NOT CARRIED by 28 votes to 14.

B.   SOLAR PARKS

Amendment by Conservative Group CARRIED by 28 votes to 13; amendment by Independent Residents’ Group NOT CARRIED by 43 votes to 3; amendment by Labour Group NOT CARRIED by 29 votes to 17; amendment by Conservative Group AGREED as substantive motion by 32 votes to 12.

C.   TERMS AND CONDITIONS REVIEW

Amendment by Conservative Group CARRIED by 39 votes to 4 and AGREED as substantive motion, without division.

D.   OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC GAMES PRECEPT

Amendment by Independent Residents’ Group NOT CARRIED by 41 votes to 8; motion by Joint Administration AGREED without division.

A procedural motion that motion 11A be dealt with on a vote only basis, that all other motions be dealt with under the intermediate debate procedure and that motions be heard in the order 11A, 11B, 11D and 11C was AGREED by 47 votes to 5 (see division 2).

A MAYOR OF LONDON

Motion on behalf of the Independent Residents’ Group

When the Greater London Authority (GLA) was set-up it had more limited powers. It is presided over by an Elected Mayor. In recent years the GLA has acquired more powers including over housing prompting concerns about the democratic status of the Elected Mayor and their powers to overrule local planning decisions. Indeed how is it possible for one person elected on about 20% of the registered vote to be held accountable on the many issues that matter in a city the size of London?

Thus this Council agrees the post of Elected Mayor (Leader) of London should be abolished and replaced with the Cabinet system, in which the Elected Assembly elects the Leader as we do in Havering and calls on the Council Leader to seek support for this change from other London councils.

The motion on behalf of the Independent Residents’ Group was NOT CARRIED by 28 votes to 15 (see division 3).

Motion on behalf of the United Kingdom Independence Party Group

This Council recommends that the Executive conducts a poll before deciding whether or not to introduce Solar Parks at both Dagnam Park and Gerpins Lane.

Amendment by the Conservative Group

This Council notes that the Executive will consider carefully all responses to consultation before deciding whether or not to introduce Solar Parks at both land adjacent to Dagnam Park and land at Gerpins Lane and that if the solar farm project contained in the Medium Term Financial Strategy agreed by the Council does not proceed further substantial savings will be required.

Amendment by the Independent Residents’ Group

Many residents have no inclination to support a wind or solar farm as they are viewed as an environmental blight on the landscape and because they’re promoted on the back of a fraud called “man made climate change”, but council plans for a solar farm in Dagnam Park, Harold Hill and on land off Gerpins Lane, nr Rainham are proposed to raise money to provide council services, but are they financially viable following cuts in government subsidies for ground based solar farms?

Thus this Council calls on the Executive to investigate the full environmental and amenity costs and financial viability before progressing any plans for solar farms in Havering.

Amendment by the Labour Group

This Council opposes the Executive proposal to introduce a Solar Park at Dagnam Park.

Following debate, the amendment by the Conservative Group was CARRIED by 28 votes to 13 (see division 4); the amendment by the Independent Residents’ Group was NOT CARRIED by 43 votes to 3 (see division 5) and the amendment by the Independent Residents’ Group was NOT CARRIED by 29 votes to 18 (see division 6). The amendment by the Conservative Group was AGREED as the substantive motion by 32 votes to 12 (see division 7).

RESOLVED:

This Council notes that the Executive will consider carefully all responses to consultation before deciding whether or not to introduce Solar Parks at both land adjacent to Dagnam Park and land at Gerpins Lane and that if the solar farm project contained in the Medium Term Financial Strategy agreed by the Council does not proceed further substantial savings will be required.

Motion on behalf of the Independent Residents’ Group

This Council agrees the way to deliver the budget strategy agreed by Council to cut the wage bill by £500,000 is by for example reducing wages by 1% across the board starting at the top and then down until the target is met. No one likes a wage cut but if unavoidable due to further cuts in government funding that is the straight forward we’re all in it together and fair way to do it and vital to maintaining staff morale and jobs, whereas robbing Peter to pay Paul is simply bad politics in the present difficult circumstances.

Also Council agrees the review of terms and conditions costing £512,000 so far to conduct is a separate and secondary matter entirely as an honest review could result in an increase in the wage bill. But because it’s being conducted to reduce the wage bill, it means experienced and qualified staff are failing “the interview” with many feeling a great sense of injustice, demoralised and taking redundancy (another cost) as a result. And many lower paid staff are suffering disproportionately due to changes in allowances. Changes in terms and conditions should be oiled with a pay rise, not imposed unfairly to deliver a pay cut.

And therefore Council calls on the Executive not to conflate the review of terms and conditions with the budget strategy to deliver a £500,000 cut in the wage bill.

Amendment by the Conservative Group

This Council notes that the two fundamental objectives of the review of employee terms & conditions of employment (T&Cs) are to: modernise our approach to working arrangements, pay structures and job evaluation, replacing existing T&Cs that are inconsistent, outdated or do not assist the delivery of services; and to create annual savings of at least £500,000 on the Council’s non-schools corporate pay bill, as previously agreed as part of the Council’s budget strategy. Whilst an across the board % reduction in salaries could achieve the savings target, it would not modernise our working arrangements and in particular would leave in place a range of inconsistent T&Cs that our staff and trade unions have previously identified as in need of modernisation. It is also essential that those working arrangements are modernised in order to ensure that we meet our obligations with regard to equalities and equal value.

This Council values the contribution and commitment made by all staff to the delivery of good quality public services. Whilst change proposals of this order will unfortunately lead to some staff experiencing a reduction in pay, this Council notes that the contractual impact of the Council’s proposals means that more than two out of every three staff will either be unaffected or will be slightly better off. This Council also notes that a significant period of pay protection will be applied to those staff who experience a reduction in pay to help support them through the transformation

In noting these matters this Council reaffirms the decision agreed  ...  view the full minutes text for item 79.

Motion on behalf of the Joint Administration

Under an agreement between the GLA and the government of the time, from 2006/07 Council Tax payers across London were required to contribute £625m towards the cost of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. This was equivalent to an annual charge of £20 per household (Band D) which was collected by the GLA via an Olympic Precept included in council tax bills. In 2016/17 the final instalment of the £625m was paid and Council Tax payers saw the £20 precept reduce to £8 accordingly.

As the full £625m had been paid off, the expectation was that the remaining £8 would be returned to Council Tax payers in 2017/18. However, the draft 2017/18 GLA budget does not propose to return this sum.

Furthermore, while the Games were a great success and enjoyed by many, the precept meant that Havering Council Tax payers contributed some £16m towards the Games with little or no quantifiable benefit to our residents.

Our council faces significant financial pressures, such as Social Care, demographic growth and Housing which is made even more challenging when set against substantial reductions in local government funding.

As such, this Council calls upon the Mayor of London to honour the original agreement which ring-fenced the £20 precept for the Olympic and Paralympic Games and as the financial obligation has been met, the remaining £8 should be returned to Council Tax payers in 2017/18 to help fund council services to our residents.’

Amendment by the Independent Residents’ Group

(Proposed amended wording shown in bold for clarity).

Under an agreement between the GLA and the government of the time, from 2006/07 Council Tax payers across London were required to contribute £625m towards the cost of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. This was equivalent to an annual charge of £20 per household (Band D) which was collected by the GLA via an Olympic Precept included in council tax bills. In 2016/17 the final instalment of the £625m was paid and Council Tax payers saw the £20 precept reduce to £8 accordingly.

As the full £625m had been paid off, the expectation was that the remaining £8 would be returned to Council Tax payers in 2017/18. However, the draft 2017/18 GLA budget does not propose to return this sum.

Furthermore, while the Games were a great success and enjoyed by many, the precept meant that Havering Council Tax payers contributed some £16m towards the Games with little or no quantifiable benefit to our residents.

Our council faces significant financial pressures, such as Social Care, demographic growth and Housing which is made even more challenging when set against substantial reductions in local government funding.

As such, this Council calls on the Executive to ascertain whether withholding the return of this overpayment is lawful and if not instruct the legal department to seek the return of said moniesand calls on the Mayor of London to honour the original agreement which ring-fenced the £20 precept for the Olympic and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 80.

The record of voting decisions is attached a appendix 4 to these minutes.